A fire that tore through a South Gate tire shop on May 24th didn’t just level a building. It wiped out decades of family history, a man’s income, and the future he was counting on for two sons with special needs. The blaze at Rare Tires along Industrial Avenue sent columns of black smoke high enough to trigger shelter-in-place orders for surrounding residents, who were told to shut their windows and stay inside while LA County fire crews fought to get ahead of the flames.
Security footage captured what firefighters were up against: a fire that grew faster than crews could contain it, eventually consuming the sprawling property before it was finally brought under control. By the time it was over, there was little left of Rare Tires beyond charred metal and scorched rubber. The business, which owner Jonathan Martinez said his father started in the 1990s, had been in the family since Martinez was a child.
What makes this story more than a fire report is what Martinez believes caused it. He points to a homeless encampment situated between a set of train tracks and the rear of the buildings along that stretch of Industrial Avenue, including the back wall of his shop. He says business owners in the area have been raising concerns about that encampment with city officials for some time, warning about small brush fires and the conditions in the area. According to Martinez, the response from the city was essentially a shrug, with officials noting that homeless individuals have rights…